You Lead I'll Follow
by stupidsexymustang
Summary: A look at the different times Roy and Riza have danced together. Chapter 4: The Champagne Waltz. Roy and Riza attend their first military ball, and a life-altering decision is made.
1. La Vie En Rose

**_A/N: Hello! This little short multi-chap is inspired by another little one shot that I wrote called_ Shall We Dance? _That fic speaks about a few different times that Roy and Riza have danced together, and I couldn't get it out of my head. So, these little chapters are a follow up, going into detailing on their dancing history. As someone with a dance background, and a deep love of dance, there is so much that gets said when two people take to the floor together, and it seems to perfectly fit these two lovebirds who can't showcase their love publicly. Anyway, enough of my blabbing. This chapter is entirely Young!Royai, so enjoy the innocence. I own nothing!_**

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Roy could hear music. He lifted his head from his alchemy text, trying to focus on the sound. He couldn't tell what it was, but now he was curious. Music was a rarity in this household, and Master Hawkeye was gone for the day. Roy stood up and walked to the door of the study, opening it and peering into the hallway. The music was louder, but not by much. He stepped out of the room and began walking, trying to locate the sound. He wrinkled his forehead. This house was so huge. Where was it coming from?

After wandering the landing and taking another turn down the hallway,he neared a closed door, and the music seemed to get slightly louder. He paused and put his ear to the door, listening. It was coming from behind there. Roy stepped back. This was the door to the attic. He swallowed and grasped the doorknob, opening it and closing the door behind him. He began walking up the steps, the sounds of piano and cello growing louder with each step. He could now hear a woman singing as well, and the sounds of creaking floorboards. Roy poked his head up and peered around boxes.

 _"Hold me close and hold me fast/the magic spell you cast..."_ crooned the voice over the phonograph as Riza Hawkeye danced slowly, her eyes closed and her arms held out as though she was holding someone. Roy watched her, a grin slowly spreading over his face. She didn't have the right steps, her feet didn't move correctly at all for a waltz, but she had good rhythm. She was also terribly cute. He stood there for a few moments, watching her dance. Finally, he cleared his throat.

"Hey, Riza."

Her eyes popped open and she stopped dancing, turning around.

"Ahhh!"

"Ahhh! Sorry!" Roy waved his arms. Riza ran to the phonograph and removed the needle. She turned back around.

"You scared me!" her eyes narrowed. "How long have you been standing there?"

Roy walked up the steps and into the attic proper. "Not long. I'm sorry I scared you. I came to see where the music was coming from."

She nodded and crossed her arms. "I'm sorry I distracted you from your studies. I didn't realize it was loud enough to be heard in your room."

"I was in the study. I needed a couple of other books."

"Oh." They stared at each other for a moment.

"Do you know how to dance?" Roy blurted out. Riza frowned.

"No, not technically. I asked my father for lessons when I was younger but he told me no. Thanks for pointing out how obvious it is." She huffed and turned around, busying herself with gathering her records. Roy sighed.

"No, that's not what I meant. You aren't bad! You just...need a partner."

Riza stopped and turned back around. He continued.

"To..to show you the steps. It's not easy to waltz alone."

Riza looked at him, confused. "You...know how to waltz?"

He ran a hand through his dark hair. "Yeah. I'm not great or anything, but my aunt taught me the steps to a basic waltz. She...throws parties." That was one way to put it. Roy believed she had phrased it as 'don't need you to embarrass me in front of guests' but he also knew that she wanted him to be as cultured as he could be. He was happy she had taught him.

Riza tilted her head. "You'd teach me?"

Roy gave her a small smile. "Well, yeah. If you're interested." She nodded quickly and he chuckled.

"Okay. Don't put the music back on, yet, it's easier without it first. Just watch me." He backed up a little bit so that she could see a bit better. He cleared his throat.

"Umm..." he had never attempted to teach this, and he was rusty. "Basically, you take your left foot and step forward, that's one. The first beat, I mean." He moved his left foot forward, showing her. "Then you step to the side with your right foot, like this." Moving his foot out, he paused and thought for a moment. "Oh! Then you just put your left back to your right foot, and then your right foot goes back. And then you do it backwards." He showed her, then grinned. "So then it's left to the side, and then the right foot goes back to the left foot."

"So, you make a box?"

He nodded. "Yup!" He held out his hands. "Want to try?" Riza looked at him and gave him a tentative smile. She stepped forward and he took her hand, holding it out.

"Put your other hand on my shoulder." She did so. He reached out to put his hand on her waist and he hesitated.

"Umm..."

Riza rolled her eyes.

"It's okay. It's dancing."

Roy nodded. "No, no, I know." It wasn't that. Riza had just...recently been developing more and had gotten...curvier. He swallowed and put his hand on her waist and looked into her eyes, amber orbs that gazed at him expectantly. For a moment he was tongue-tied.

"O-okay. Waltzes are one-two-three. So, the steps I showed you are just a beat each. One-" He stepped forward and so did she, their feet crushing against each other. They both winced.

"Ow!"

"Yowch!"

Roy smacked his forehead. "I completely forgot. The steps I showed you? They're opposite for you, because I'm leading. You have to do them backwards."

Riza raised an eyebrow. "Seriously? That sounds hard. Why are YOU leading?"

"Because that's what the guy does."

"That's dumb."

"I'm a good leader!"

"And I'm supposed to just follow you?"

Roy shrugged.

"Well...yeah."

Riza sucked her lips in, then laughed.

"I guess that's as good a reason as any you could offer. Fine then. You lead, I'll follow."

Roy paused, then smiled.

"Do you think you can do the steps backwards?"

She glared.

"Can you do them?"

"Well, yeah, forwards.

"If you can do something forwards, I can do it backwards. Trust me." She squared her shoulders and looked him dead in the eyes, determination written all over her face. Roy's smile grew bigger.

"I trust you. Okay. So, on one, move your right foot backwards, I'll move mine forwards. One." They moved.

"Good. On two, step to the side with your left foot, I'll do the same with my right. Two." They moved together again.

"Now, on three, close your right foot to your left foot. Three." They stepped together.

"Great, that was the first part. Now you just do it again. One. Two. Three." They moved in time to his counts, Riza only stumbling slightly on a couple of the backwards steps. They danced around the attic together, with Roy counting, until Riza didn't stumble at all.

"So, what do you think?" Roy asked her.

"It's nice...we need music, though. It's not as fun without music."

"It's harder."

She shrugged.

"That's not a bad thing."

He let go of her and she walked to the phonograph, replacing the needle. The same song she had been playing earlier filled the air.

 _"Hold me close and hold me fast/the magic spell you cast/this is la vie en rose"_ the woman sang. Roy took Riza back in his arms.

"Okay, ready? One, tw-" She didn't move, she just stared at him, puzzled.

"What?"

"Why are you still counting?"

Roy paused.

"Because...that's how I know how to do it. Counting."

She smiled.

"Just listen to the song. The counts are there for you, you don't have to say them. Just feel it."

Roy frowned.

"I don't know if I can do that."

She tilted her head.

"Try." Riza moved her foot backwards and Roy followed, listening to the music, trying to stay on beat. It wasn't so hard, but he wasn't leading so well as he would have liked, nearly fighting against her. Riza noticed.

"Relax."

He smirked.

"Hey, who is teaching whom?"

She rolled her eyes.

"Just listen to the music."

"Okay, but stop trying to lead."

"Fine. I'll follow. But listen."

He readjusted his arms around her and they began to dance again, this time Roy fully leading. It was easier this time.

 _"When you press me to your heart/I'm in a world apart/A world where roses bloom..."_

He spun her once and pulled her back into his arms. She laughed as they stumbled back into their uneasy steps.

"That was unexpected."

Roy smiled, squeezing her hand.

"It felt right."

They danced for a few more moments, until the song ended and a new one started. Roy paused.

"Will you play that one again? I liked it a lot."

"Sure." She walked back over to the phonograph and readjusted the needle. Once the music filled the room, he took her into his arms again and they continued their steps, Roy settling more into the tempo of the song.

 _"When you kiss me, heaven sighs/And though I close my eyes/I see la vie en rose"_ the song sang as they danced their box around the small cleared space. Roy found himself continuously drawn to Riza's lips, and seemed to subconsciously be pulling her closer to him, so that they were now dancing with their chests touching, nearly cheek-to-cheek. Roy's breath caught in his throat as they locked eyes, their heads extremely close.

"Riza..." he muttered.

"Yeah?" she practically whispered, amber eyes never leaving his onyx ones. Roy leaned down and closed his eyes...

Then heard the slam of the large front door. He jerked his head away.

"Uhh, I think Master Hawkeye's home." Disappointment shone in Riza's eyes.

"You better get back to the study fast, so he doesn't think you've been slacking."

Roy nodded. "Right." He let go of her and walked quickly to the landing, then turned around.

"Riza?"

She turned to him, having already walked to the phonograph.

"Yeah?"

He grinned sheepishly, heart thudding in his chest.

"Will you dance with me again?"

A smile spread across her face.

"You lead, I'll follow."

His grin widened and he nodded before bounding down the stairs, the music trailing after him as he raced back to the study.

 _"Give your heart and soul to me/And life will always be la vie en rose..."_

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 _I think they're adorable. Please favorite and review!_


	2. A Girl, a Boy, and a Graveyard

**_A/N: Hello! Sorry this took forever. I hope you enjoy! I own nothing. The song is "A Girl, a Boy, and a Graveyard" by Jeremy Messersmith. I know it's anachronistic, but it works so well for them._**

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Riza had been surprised when she'd answered the door and had seen Roy Mustang standing on the steps. She had been surprised when, after she'd led him to her father's sickbed, he had cried out barely ten minutes later and she had rushed in to see her father cradled in Roy's arms. She had been even more surprised when he had offered to pay for the funeral arrangements, and when he had stayed to see her father put into the ground. She had surprised herself with the decision to show him her father's notes. She was not surprised by his reaction.

After his initial shock and rage, Roy had managed to calm down enough to begin taking notes of the array on her back, promising to destroy them after he had learned from them. They had been working steadily for a couple of days, when he had requested a specific book. After searching the library, they decided that the book in question must be in the attic.

"He moved a lot of things up here after he finished his research. He said he didn't want to look at books he didn't need anymore." Riza said as they walked up the stairs to the attic. Roy wrinkled his nose when his head came over the landing. Books were everywhere, covering nearly every square inch of space.

"This is a mess! He just threw these up here?"

"Like I said, he didn't want to look at them. So away they went. He didn't really care what happened to them. I tried to keep it organized at first, but..." her voice trailed off. Roy nodded. He seemed to understand.

"It's like a graveyard. Of textbooks. They're all little headstones. They even each have tiny lives stored inside." Roy said as he stepped onto the landing. Riza gave a small smile. He still talked like this, his words full of vibrant visuals, imagination seeping through his very pores. She hoped he never lost that.

They carefully stepped over the books (or "graves" as Roy now insisted on calling them), looking for the one in particular. After a few minutes of careful search, Roy let out an excited shout. Riza stood up from her crouching examinations and turned back to him.

"Did you find it?"

"No! But I found something else."

She walked over to him, confused. Finally she saw what he had unearthed behind boxes.

"My phonograph?"

He nodded, clearly excited. "Yeah!" He turned to her, his face falling a little when he saw that she was still confused by his excitement. "Remember? We used to listen to music on it together all the time up here."

A smile began tugging at the corners of her mouth. "And you taught me how to dance."

He ducked his head, reminding her immediately of the 15 year old boy he had been. "I taught you steps. You already knew how to dance."

She chuckled at the memory. "We danced together quite a lot after that. You finally got better at leading."

"You never got better at following."

She laughed at that, then turned away, the memory now turning painful as she remembered their task at hand. She was supposed to be teaching him now. Or rather...being his notebook. She swallowed hard.

"Yeah. That was a long time ago, though. That phonograph is broken now."

He frowned. "It's broken?"

Riza nodded. "Mhmm. Sometime last summer. Let's find your book."

Roy watched her walk away. "Riza..."

She bent back down, looking at a new stack. "Mmhmm?"

He hesitated, unsure how to ask this. "Have you...mourned yet?"

She stiffened. "What do you mean?"

"I...I haven't seen you cry. Or get mad. Or happy. You just...keep working."

She breathed in and out a couple of times. "Maybe that's just how I deal."

He nodded and said nothing else until, about five minutes later, they had located the book. After that, they continued working, with no further mention of mourning. Or phonographs.

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Riza woke late some mornings later, an unusual occurrence for her. She got up and showered, dressing slowly. She knew why she was being so lackadaisical. Today was Roy's last day with her. He'd managed to get the hang of flame alchemy, and while he wasn't quite a pro yet, she knew he'd master it soon. There wasn't much left for her to do for him, and he needed to return to the Academy. He had a State Alchemy Exam to pass. She knew he would pass it, with flying colors. She knew he would impress them. 'And then you'll never see him again,' a voice whispered in her head. Riza shook the thought away. It didn't matter anyway. He didn't want her. All the times in their youth, the almost kisses, the absent touches, the hidden glances...none of them had amounted to anything. Even with her back bared to him for four days straight, the most he had done was linger his glance a little too long, or allow his fingers to graze the tattooed lines a bit too tenderly. But there had been nothing else, and now he was leaving her. Again. This time, she would be truly alone. The idea nearly made her double over in fear and pain, but she refused. Now was not the time.

Riza walked out of her bedroom and down the stairs, wanting to get a pot of coffee started. She was surprised to see Roy already awake, sitting at the table and nursing his own cup.

"Good morning. I'm sorry for oversleeping."

He smiled at her, soft humor at the edges of his lips.

"You call this oversleeping? I feel like I'm up at the crack of dawn. It's like I never left the Academy."

She turned her back to him, busying herself with fixing her own cup.

"At least it won't be a shock when you go back tomorrow."

She didn't see him drop his head, but she did catch the softness in his voice when he replied with a simple affirmative. She added sugar and cream to her coffee, then turned around and leaned against the counter, sipping the hot beverage. He watched her in silence, tilting his head just slightly. She wrapped an arm around her stomach.

"What?"

He blinked. "What?"

She raised her eyebrows. "You're staring at me."

"Oh. Sorry." He raised an arm and scratched at the back of his head. "When you're done with your coffee I, uh, wanted to show you something."

She frowned. "Did you break something?"

Her derision was met with a scoff. "No! And if I did I could just fix it. " He wiggled his fingers at her. "Alchemy!"

Riza couldn't help but laugh a little. She smiled, took another sip and set her cup down. "Alright, show me."

He stood up and grinned. She would swear he looked nearly as boyish as he had the first day she had met him. Roy took her hand and led her into the hall, then turned back to her before opening the door to the study. She tilted her head.

"You're not going to tell me to close my eyes, are you?"

He chuckled, the slightest red tinge creeping onto his cheeks. "No. I just...hope you like it." He opened the door and, with a confused glance up at him, she stepped into the room.

He had pushed the couch against the wall, clearing a space in the center of the room. Her phonograph had been taken down from the attic and was set up to the side, with all of her boxes of records around them. He had pulled out four in particular and set them on top of each other on one box.

Riza's eyes widened at the sight. "How did you manage to get all of this down here? That phonograph is heavy."

He smiled sheepishly, stepping into the room behind her. "It wasn't that bad. I'm pretty strong, you know."

She walked up to the phonograph, examining it. "Did...you fixed it." It was a statement. She could see how clean it was, the wire no longer frayed, a gleaming needle poised and ready for a record to scratch.

Roy shrugged, held up his hands and wiggled his fingers again. "Alchemy."

This time he got a full laugh out of her, and a wide smile. She was genuinely excited to have her music back. She had missed the songs. Mostly, she had missed the dancing. She bent down and began rifling through her collection, pulling out certain records she had a particular fondness for. Roy walked behind her and bent down as well.

"I pulled out a couple that were my personal favorites." He handed her one record and she took it, smiling at the name. Pulling out the record, she walked on her knees to the phonograph and gingerly placed it on the table, where she set the needle down. Music began filling the room, for the first time in a year.

She looked over at him, on his knees next to her. Sincerity and gratitude blossomed in her eyes. "Thank you, Roy. This is wonderful. Why did you..."

He took her hand and pulled her up to her feet. "Because I wanted to dance with you again." He placed a hand on her waist and searched her eyes, pleading quietly with her. How could she say no? Riza would never say no to dancing with him. It was impossible. She placed her hand on his shoulder and they began to dance, moving to the sound of the guitar and the gentle melody.

 _"Lucie takes the long way home/Meets me in a field of stone/She says I don't know how I'm 'sposed to feel..."_

Roy chuckled a little to himself. "You're still trying to lead."

She dropped her shoulders, laughing quietly. "Sorry. It's hard. Especially when we haven't danced together in awhile."

He pulled her a little closer. "Just trust me."

Riza bit her bottom lip and nodded, relaxing into his arms. Their feet moved across the carpet, the steps they took having gotten more complicated since their first simple box together in the attic.

 _"But I don't want to spend my time/Waiting on lightning to strike..."_

She had missed this. She had missed _him_. Riza brought her eyes up to look into his, to memorize those deep, dark orbs before they were taken from her. She stared into them and he stared into hers. Without thinking, without breathing, without even knowing what she was doing, she tilted her head up just a little more, pressing a firm kiss to Roy's lips. Before he could even react, she had pulled her head away, her eyes wide.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have done that! I shouldn-" her words were quickly cut off by Roy pressing a kiss to her own lips, sweet and soft. Her eyes closed of their own accord and she leaned into him. His arms wrapped around her and pulled her close, one hand snaking into her short hair. After a moment, they broke apart, still lingering on each other's lips.

"Please don't apologize for doing something I should have done years ago..." Roy breathed. Riza nodded quickly, and their lips met again, hunger for him blossoming in the pit of Riza's stomach.

 _"She said life's a game we're meant to lose/So stick by me and I will stick by you..."_

Riza's lips parted and Roy lifted her into his arms, spinning around and deepening the kiss. His legs hit the couch and they tumbled onto it, a mess of limbs and lips and kisses. She wanted him. She wanted him more than she had ever wanted anything. She craved his touch, his lips, his tongue...everything he had. Roy's hands wandered her waist, untucking her blouse and traveling up her back. She melted under his touch. She ran kisses down his neck, her fingers shaking as they unbuttoned his shirt. Riza tugged the fabric down his arms, where he finally let go of her to pull it off the rest of the way, her following suit with her top.

Back in each other's arms, Roy pressed soft kisses to her sternum and Riza moaned quietly. His hands found her thighs and pushed her skirt up, while hers played with his belt, pulling it out of the loops and dropping it to the ground. She tugged at his waistband and he kissed the tops of her breasts, then froze as his hands touched her underwear. He pulled his head up.

"Riza...we don't have to do this. I don't...I've not..." He flushed, his cheeks turning bright red. She leaned up and kissed him gently. Pulling back, she smiled and lifted a hand to his cheek.

"You lead, I'll follow."

A smile lit up Roy's face. He understood everything she meant to say in those four words, echoed from the first time they had ventured into uncharted territory together. He bent down and kissed her deeply, letting the ministrations of his lips and hands and body say everything that he couldn't word, couldn't voice. And just as she promised...Riza followed. With lips, with tongue, moans and sighs, shaking and pleasure, and yes, pain. But as they lay there in each other's arms, sweating and catching their breath, music still playing from the repaired phonograph, Riza would have taken all of the pain in the world for one more day, one more night, five more minutes, wrapped in this man's arms.

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Riza walked back into the house and shut the door behind her. She had just said goodbye to Roy at the train station. Promises to write had followed one last desperate kiss as he boarded the train, and she had stood on the platform watching the train carry him away until she could no longer fool herself into thinking she could still see it in the distance.

She sighed, walking into the kitchen. She picked up the dishes from this morning and placed them in the sink. He had made breakfast, eggs on toast. She would need to soak the pan. She left the kitchen and wandered up the stairs. She didn't care where she walked. Her mind was on a train.

She found herself opening the room to the study. Records were strewn on the floor. They had spent yesterday and last night going through her collection, playing favorites, discovering new ones, dancing until their feet hurt, and making love until they fell asleep in each other's arms on the couch. Her legs and pelvis were sore, the ache making her steps difficult. It was hard to care after the day they had had. It was hard to care when it was nothing compared to the ache in her chest.

She bent down to pick up one of the records on the ground. This was one of Roy's favorites, In the Mood. It had been much faster-paced and they had stumbled all over themselves dancing to it, laughing themselves hoarse. Riza smiled at the memory. Then she threw the record against the wall.

CRASH! It shattered, falling to the ground in both large and small pieces. She picked up another record. 'Liquid Spirit'. Blankness on her face, she threw it as well. It smacked into the wall and broke into three large pieces. Riza picked up another, not even glancing at the title. She threw it even harder. She picked up another. Then another.

Crash! Crash! Crash! Each record broke against the wall, some leaving small pieces imbedded in the drywall. Riza was practically blind now, tears welling up behind her eyes but still refusing to come out. She was panting, rage at her father's death and neglect, at Roy's abandonment, at her own _loneliness_ threatening to swallow her whole. Record after record flew from her hands, slamming into the wall.

She grabbed the next one and reared back, aiming. The name caught the corner of her eye, and she froze mid-swing.

La Vie en Rose.

She stared at it, her hands beginning to shake. Memories of their first dance flooded her mind. The way his hand had hesitated before it touched her waist. How he had explained the dance wrong, and they had crushed each other's toes. How they had slowly gotten the hang of the movement. How he had spun her. How he had nearly kissed her. How he had danced with her as often as he could after that day. She couldn't do it. Not this song.

Riza sank to her knees, clutching the record to her chest. The tears began to fall from her eyes, staining her cheeks. The tears she had kept at bay for weeks finally fell, and there was nothing she could do to stop it. So she wept. She wept for her father buried in the earth. She cried for the array on her back. She cried for the pain between her legs and how much she loved it. She sobbed for the man who had caused it, carried away from her by duty and a dream. She sobbed for how godforsaken lonely she was. Riza held the record close, and Riza wept.

And on a train 100 miles away, a dark-haired boy pretending to be a man wept for the girl who had given him everything, and who he had just left behind.

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 _Sorry about the angst. It was too powerful of an image to not write. Please favorite and review!_


	3. I Won't Give Up

_**Hello! I own nothing. This is very short, and I apologize for that. I hope you still like it. Writing about Ishval makes me very nervous. This incident is mentioned specifically in "Shall We Dance". The song of inspiration is "I Won't Give Up" by Jason Mraz. More the tune than the words.**_

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She couldn't breathe. Riza's chest was growing tighter by the second, and the breaths she could take were short and shallow. She was partially doubled over, clutching her chest, attempting to get through the panic attack without waking anyone up. She had managed to get through the rest of the day since the incident, pushing it out of her mind, refusing to acknowledge the eyes of the child as she shot her mother straight through the temple. No, no, no, she couldn't think about it...she couldn't...the breaths were even shorter now, harder to get a handle on. She felt her knees hit the earth and her fingers dug into the sand as she attempted to regain some form of control over herself. She was failing, miserably failing.

 _'You're a soldier'_ , she thought. _'Breathe! Get through it!'_ But nothing helped. She was beginning to wheeze, flashes of the woman's body falling to the ground, images of the Ishvalan child screaming, shaking her mother as her blood mingled with the earth, these images and more played behind her eyes as her fingers groped blindly for purchase in the sand and rock. She didn't hear him approach. She didn't hear him say her name. It wasn't until he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her to standing that she even realized he was there.

She wheezed out part of his rank before he shushed her, squeezing her close to him.

"I breathe you breathe," he whispered into her ear. She barely recognized the words, but Riza nodded anyway, screwing her eyes shut and leaning into him. He slowly inhaled, holding her close so that she could feel his chest move up and down. She tried to follow his breaths but it was hard, so hard. She inhaled through her nose, forcing air into her lungs, desperately trying to slow herself to match the pace of his breaths. Tears were filling her eyes, which wasn't making any of this easier.

He must have been able to sense this, how her struggle was hardly abating, because after a moment, he moved his hand to the small of her back and his other took her hand, keeping her tight against him but forming their old, familiar dance pose. He moved his feet and she stumbled, her head still a million miles away, lost in the memories of her actions of the day. Once again his lips moved to her ear.

"I'm leading. Now follow."

The words cut through the fog, penetrating the horrific images and bringing her back to the present. She opened her eyes. It was the dead of night, stars shone above, and a superior officer was attempting to dance with her.

No.

Roy was dancing her, and they were just in her attic, and everything was okay. There was nothing on her back. There was no flame alchemy. Neither of them had ever harmed a soul. They were just two teenagers, dancing together. She shifted in his arms, closing her eyes to the sand and the sky and the tents and the crumbling walls. In her mind she saw the dark wood of the attic, the piles of old boxes and a wingback chair that a cat she had brought in once from the rain had ripped to shreds. In her head she heard music, not the wind or gunshots or the sound of screams. But simple, pretty music coming from a scratchy phonograph as he pulled her ever closer, silently begging her to not give up. Begging her to follow.

So she followed.

They stepped together, slowly, quietly. Retracing old, familiar steps in an unfamiliar landscape, military boots scraping against the fine sand and rough rocks. He patiently held her, leading her in the simple movements. Nothing fast, nothing difficult. Just easy. Recognizable. Something she could follow without thinking. Finally, her breathing began to slow. He breathed out, she breathed in. She breathed out, he breathed in. Their chests moved together with their feet as they danced in the shadows, away from prying eyes.

After a few minutes, Riza was able to breathe clearly. She pulled away from his chest and tilted her head to look up at him, but instead he pressed a small kiss to her forehead and released her, quickly turning away and heading back into camp. She watched his back as he retreated, and she sank down and pressed her own back against the stone wall. She looked up at the stars as she listened to her finally even breaths, and the steady beating of her heart. Or maybe it was his heart now.

She wasn't actually sure anymore.

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 _Thank you for reading! Please favorite and review!_


	4. The Champagne Waltz

**_A/N: This took way too long and I'm so sorry. I really hope this chapter makes up for the wait. The song of inspiration for this one is "The Champagne Waltz" as arranged by Ryan Daniel Music on Youtube. This chapter also connects very closely to 'Shall We Dance', a one-shot that focused on them dancing at a later military ball than this one. Thank you for sticking by this story, and for being patient. Enjoy!_**

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Given Roy's personality, one would think he'd have been having the time of his life at his first military ball. Plenty of beautiful women to flirt with, champagne to drink, other officers to impress - this was his element. It was over halfway through the night and he'd already been on the dance floor a dozen times, waltzing with different women, chatting and laughing as he lead them through the music. Playing the game, playing his part. Keeping the mask.

Then he'd catch the eye of his adjutant across the floor and each time, for only a second, he crumbled. At first, Riza had only been standing by one of the pillars, clearly uncomfortable and out of place in her dark green dress (that she looked far too stunning in), but then she had been asked to dance. She'd taken to the dance floor well, and while she didn't seem to particularly enjoy the people she was wrapped up in, Roy could see the light in her eyes as she moved. He knew how much she loved it, the music and the movements. She was so graceful, no matter whose arms she was in.

He wanted to be the one holding her in his arms, spinning her and making her happy. He wanted to light those other men on fire for even presuming they could ask her to dance, let alone perform the action themselves. One man stepped on her feet! She'd laughed it off but Roy wanted to pull her away, to throw a look at the man and say, "This is how you dance with a beautiful woman," and show her off to everyone. To pull her close and lead her around the room, the way they had taught each other. He wished he could have walked in with her on his arm, refusing to dance with anyone else all night. But all he could do was catch her eye periodically.

Finally, the song ended and he extracted himself from the woman he had been dancing with. He made his way to the bar, wanting to get another glass of champagne. He'd already had a couple of glasses, but one more wouldn't hurt. It took him less than a second to realize that he was standing just behind Riza in line. He leaned toward her.

"You look stunning out there."

She didn't jump, but he could hear her inhale slightly. Riza tossed her hair, grabbing a glass of champagne.

"Thank you, sir. But you should probably keep such opinions to yourself."

Roy smirked, grabbing a glass for himself and following her as she walked back to the thick pillar she had made her home base earlier in the evening. He noticed Havoc flirting with a tall, curly-haired brunette. The woman was glaring at him, so he didn't appear to be doing a very good job. Roy suppressed a chuckle and kept after Riza.

"Why? Do you really think anyone is paying attention to us?"

She shot him a look and took a sip of her drink, not answering. He closed some of the space between them and caught her eyes. Maybe later he'd blame it on the champagne, but for now he felt quite clear-headed.

"Dance with me."

Riza's eyes widened.

"Are you an idiot? No!"

He tilted his head and smiled. "Come on, one dance. No one cares."

"It doesn't matter. It's inappropriate."

"It's a ball, Second Lieutenant. The entire point is to dance and flirt."

"Not with your adjutant." She pulled away and walked to the other side of the pillar. He followed her, still grinning.

"One dance. That's all."

"No, sir."

He caught her hand and pulled her behind the pillar, playfully.

"Lieutenant-Colonel!" she whispered.

"Dance with me."

Her amber eyes caught his onyx ones and he could see her melt just a little in the shadows. He knew how much she wanted to say yes. Having to keep up appearances, both in and out of the public eye was killing her, too. She looked away from him.

"It's dangerous."

He smirked.

"It's a dance."

He caught her eyes again and she gazed into them. Forget dancing, all he wanted to do was kiss her, right here, behind this pillar, half the military just on the other side. He squeezed her hand instead.

"Dance with me," he whispered.

She closed her eyes, then opened them.

"One dance."

Roy grinned wide, ecstatic at his win. "I'll lead," he told her, dropping her hand and winking. She chuckled a little, remembering their age old call and response.

"I'll follow."

He walked out from behind the pillar, sipping his champagne. Not even one person was looking at him. Roy knew they weren't paying attention, it was too late in the evening and everyone was drunk and busy with their own affairs. He caught Riza walking out from behind a different pillar, one that was closer to the ladies room. He smiled. If anyone saw her now, it would just look like she was coming back from using the restroom. She was so clever. He loved that about her.

He looked over at her as a new waltz started and extended his hand, walking onto the dance floor, off to the side. This song was slow, and beautiful. Melodic and melancholy, mainly piano. It felt right. She gave him a ghost smile and took his hand, placing her other hand on his shoulder. Roy put his hand on the small of her back, and they began to dance.

Even though it had been several years since their last true dance together, they fell into the rhythm quickly. He felt like it had only been a few moments since he had last held her like this, as opposed to years. Roy wanted to pull her close to him, but he held off, much as he hated it. He was lucky enough to get to dance with her, even if it wasn't exactly the way he might have wanted it.

Left, right, close, left right close. He spun her slowly, and she closed her eyes, smiling. He almost got a chuckle out of her. Roy pulled her back to him, a hair closer than she had been before. Just enough for him. They locked eyes and he gazed at her, leading her in their own little world, far away from the actual ball. They could have been on a different planet. He wouldn't have cared, as long as she continued to stare at him, light shining in her eyes. That amber light filled him to the very core. There was no darkness when she was around.

Roy held her tightly, listening to the melodic song, trying to feel instead of count like she had taught him back in her attic when they were teens. He had known the right steps, but she had known rhythm, had known how to feel her way. Together they had make a perfect dancing pair, each one teaching the other the right balance. They were each other's balance, Roy knew. He hoped she knew how much she centered him.

The longing for her hit Roy like a brick in the center of his chest. Here she was, the only woman he had loved, right here in his arms, and he couldn't do anything to her. He could do a simple dance, and even that was "dangerous" as she'd said. He wanted to hold her tight against his chest, he wanted to brush her bangs out of her eyes and cup her cheek, he wanted to kiss her, he wanted to kiss her so badly that it was making the pit of his stomach ache. He loved her and it didn't matter.

Too soon the song ended, on a final, uncertain note. He reluctantly released her and she smiled gently at him.

"Thank you for the dance, sir."

He smirked and gave a bow.

"Thank you for being such a good partner. Someone taught you well."

He could see her holding back both the urge to laugh and the urge to whack his arm.

"Yes," she answered after a moment. "Someone did."

Roy gave her a proper boyish grin at that and she turned away, walking off the dance floor. She walked to Havoc and the tallish brunette who was standing next to him. Havoc caught Roy's eye and smiled. A knowing look passed between the two, and Havoc put his attention to Riza, turning away from his superior. Roy decided to head back to the bar, a path that would take him just past the two. As he made his way among the chairs, he caught a snippet of their conversation.

"I'd appreciate if you didn't ask, Havoc."

"I don't even know what you're talking about, Hawkeye."

Roy smiled. Count on Havoc to figure it out, and then not say a damn word. He had chosen his men with careful consideration, and he was rapidly realizing just what a right choice he had made in Warrant Officer Jean Havoc. The man's taste in women aside, he was proving himself. Even more with his reaction to watching his superior officers dance, and then wisely not commenting. Roy made his way to the bar and picked up another glass of champagne, and the eye of another young woman. Outwardly he smiled, charming to the last. Inwardly, he resisted the urge to glance back at Riza. He knew his place. This was just a different dance.

* * *

Two hours after he had left the ball, he found himself outside the door of Riza's apartment, knocking rapidly. _'This is a mistake this is a mistake this is a mistake'_ his brain whispered urgently, but he pressed on, rapping at her door with his knuckles. Finally, he heard the sound of her steps, the chain moved, and the door opened.

Riza's short hair was mussed, her make-up removed. She wore simple pajamas, and there were bags under her eyes. She looked terrible. She looked perfect.

She blinked a couple times, staring at him.

"Sir? What's wrong, what happened?"

He stared at her, then ran his fingers through his hair sheepishly.

"N-nothing. I just...I..." Fuck, why couldn't he talk?!

Riza sighed. "Sir, it's late. Are you drunk?"

He shook his head rapidly. "No! No, I'm not..." Roy inhaled, centering himself. He looked at her and sighed, an honest expression plain on his face.

"I don't want to do this alone anymore. I can't...whatever we are in public, okay, fine. Superior officer and subordinate. Epitome of professionalism. But here...behind closed doors...where no one can see..." he swallowed, his eyes never leaving her. "Here we can be something else. If...if you'll have me."

Riza stared at him, her lips just barely parted in surprise at his request. Her eyes cast down to the floor, she spoke, voice soft.

"How...what am I supposed to do with that request? You know what I want. I want to protect you. I want to be with you. I had to choose. I chose."

Roy tilted his head, gently putting his thumb and forefinger on her chin and lifting her head to look at him. "Why can't we choose both?"

Riza closed her eyes. "In a perfect world, maybe."

"Isn't that exactly what we're trying to create?"

She chuckled half-heartedly at that. "We're nowhere close."

He ran his thumb across her cheek and she leaned into his touch. "I know. But you said you made your choice. I want to make a different one. I want both."

She opened her eyes, those amber eyes he loved so much. "Both is greedy, and unrealistic."

"I don't care."

Her eyes softened. "It will be ridiculously hard."

"We'll handle it." He pressed closer, closing the space between them. Riza swallowed.

"It's dangerous."

Roy smiled, leaning in close, his lips ghosting across hers. She didn't pull away. "No," he whispered. "It's a dance."

They kissed, softness turning to passion and hunger. Riza pulled him into the apartment. The door closed.

Two souls collided. Two lovers danced.

* * *

 _It was only a matter of time for those two. Please favorite and review! That's life blood for writers!_


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